#TutuTuesday Ballet Tutu History on 1993-08-17

Helloooo, darlings! It's your favourite tutu-loving time traveller, Emma, back with another #TutuTuesday! Today we're doing a little time-warp, venturing back to August 17th 1993 to peek into the history of the magnificent, the iconic, the simply magical... the ballet tutu!

I love taking my pink tutu travelling through time! It’s like an invitation, a dance card whispered on the breeze. You'd be surprised at how much a little bit of tulle and satin can unlock in a historical moment. This week, I find myself waltzing back to the mid-90s, an era of grunge and the dawn of the internet, a period where the world was starting to discover a love for the grace and artistry of ballet, much like it is rediscovering the fun of wearing tutus today!

It’s rather fascinating how styles shift with time. Back in ’93, tutus weren’t all the rage, but ballet itself was experiencing a cultural renaissance. You see, ballet has always been my passion, ever since I was a little girl skipping around Derbyshire in my grandmother's old ballet slippers. Seeing the professionals twirl across the stage is like magic, and there's nothing that brings more joy than witnessing their stories unfold in a sea of swirling tulle.

So, let’s step back in time! My pink tutu seems to perfectly blend in. A trip on the train (I do love a train journey, you know!) gets me to the city I need to be. That’s the amazing thing about time travel, it doesn't really matter what era you're in, ballet has always had a special kind of magic about it.

In 1993, it was all about “The Phantom of the Opera”, which has a pretty awesome stage show if I say so myself! They say "Phantom" was practically the iconic stage performance back then, a truly grand and theatrical piece of work. Now I'm really intrigued to go back and see it myself!

Here’s something interesting - even though tutu fever hadn't gripped the masses yet, there were definitely some exciting developments on the horizon. Think ballet in film! There was this really sweet film, "The Secret Garden", with beautiful music and dancing. What a fantastic opportunity to bring a little more ballet into the lives of everyday people, don’t you think?

And just as important – shopping, of course! I made sure to visit the vintage stores in this year – just for a glimpse at the fashion trends! This period was all about layering and loose-fitting shapes, with a bit of grungy rock and roll thrown in. Now that I think of it, pairing a tutu with a chunky cardigan and Doc Martens would probably make quite the statement! I’m off to make that happen for my next tutu-ful adventure!

Okay, let's chat about this year’s must-see ballet performance, shall we? You know how I adore those dreamy ballet pieces that tell stories and whisk you away on journeys. My dear, the Royal Ballet in London has got the whole ‘time travel’ thing down to a fine art, they really are something else!

One more thing, you absolutely MUST remember this! Ballet isn't just about the big, glamorous, stage performances. Let’s be real, there’s magic in every single ballet class! That dedication and perseverance, those years of hard work, they create true beauty. Those aspiring dancers, the little ballerinas in their tutus, those are the ones who truly make this magic possible!

This time, though, we are here for the fashion, and I'm ready to embrace every glorious detail of tutus throughout time! So let’s take a twirl and dive back into the beautiful history of this delightful, enchanting garment!

The story of the tutu begins with the dawn of ballet itself. You see, the early ballets were about the art of storytelling through movement, but they weren't always a display of elegance and beauty we see today. Imagine tights and billowing skirts - not quite the vision of a glamorous dancer, is it?

It wasn't until the late 18th and 19th centuries that the tutu truly emerged. And do you know why? Because these pioneering ballerinas wanted to show off their exquisite moves, you see! The first tutus were essentially shortened versions of those voluminous skirts. Then came The Romantic Era! A truly delightful period in ballet history with a focus on dreamy fairies and fantastical creatures. This brought about the development of the iconic Romantic tutu, with its full, layered skirt.

By the time we hit the early 20th century, tutus had undergone quite a metamorphosis! Think sleek and sculpted! This was the age of Classical Ballet, a movement known for its strong technicality, where ballerinas needed flexibility and lightness in their dance. And this evolution resulted in the birth of the "classical tutu," the kind of tutu with a very short, fitted, almost stiff-looking skirt that gives the impression of freedom and airy grace.

These days, it feels like there’s a tutu for every kind of ballerina, and we are lucky enough to be surrounded by a truly diverse range of dance styles, from traditional to contemporary. And as time marches forward, I reckon the ballet tutu will keep evolving, finding new forms and meanings as we keep seeking beauty and expression in every twist, every pirouette, every arabesque!

So, my darlings, I say this to you today: Keep wearing those tutus, because every time you do, you are taking a tiny little step forward in the evolution of ballet fashion, making it ever more vibrant, exciting, and joyful. Let your inner ballerina twirl and flourish!

Until next time, happy dancing!

Your always tutu-tastic time traveller, * *Emma